Word Origin & History

scimitar 1548, from M.Fr. cimeterre (15c.) or It. scimitarra, of uncertain origin. Turkish would be the expected source, but no such word has been found there. Perhaps from Pers. shimshir (pronounced "shamsher," cf. Gk. sampsera "a barbarian sword," from this source), but OED finds this "unsatisfactory as to form." Many early variations; the modern spelling is from influence of the It. form of the word.

Example Sentences for scimitars

Scimitars were waved aloft, and cries of menace burst forth.

Asriel, tell the guard, from me, that the victory of the Tigris was owing to their scimitars.

Our mint at present coins nothing but blades of scimitars and heads of lances!

Then they drew their scimitars, and stood ready, as though on guard.

Forty scimitars of gold and forty maces of gold were borne in front of him and behind.

Then on into the yard with scimitars flashing on their right and on their left.

It was armour-plated, had jaws like scimitars, and underneath its body was a forest of legs.

There were men in his personal service who were adepts at striking off heads by single blows of their scimitars.

The Raising of Lazarus: A vault hung with scimitars, turbans, and quivers.

And loud was the clash of swords and scimitars upraised and warded off by heroic hands in course of those fierce encounters.